"Although community radio has a long history in South and North America, new models are evolving in other parts of the world from South Africa to Central Eurasia. True to its community roots, stations reflect the unique history, culture, and political climate of each country. Radio is the most democratic of media both in providing easy access to citizen participation and in being widely available. In rural areas from subsistence farmers in Mozambique to nomadic herders in Mongolia, radio is the only medium. With limited resources in new democracies, it is the most cost-effective medium. The expressive human voice and natural sound engage the imagination through story telling. Radio stations are not simply passive transmitters of information or hit music; they are a catalyst for building community, for improving health and education, for fostering a civil society. These are no longer theoretical visions; many stations now demonstrate all of these goals." (Abstract)